


Some New Road

by homsantoft (tofsla)



Category: Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-22
Updated: 2016-02-22
Packaged: 2018-05-22 14:47:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 913
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6083514
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tofsla/pseuds/homsantoft
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Josephine begins to suspect that something is going on between the the Inquisitor and Cassandra.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Some New Road

**Author's Note:**

  * For [firescribble](https://archiveofourown.org/users/firescribble/gifts).



> Prompt ficlets! Prompt for this one was "I will endeavour to insinuate myself to your lordship's satisfaction," which is of course a Dorothy Sayers quote (Strong Poison) - no credit to me for that one.

"We still require someone who can hold the attention of the soldiers," Josephine said, peering at her list in exasperation. "I agree that a quiet operation is preferable, naturally."

"I should think," Tora said, "that the Lady Seeker would be the smart choice." Did she notice that Leliana's hand hid a smile? Oh, yes. More clever than she must appear to the average Orlesian by far, tightly curled horns and plain, worn face. And yet—

"With all due respect," Josephine said, "I hardly think, given the delicacy of the situation—"

Cassandra herself made an irritated noise, deep in her throat. "I do not for one moment imagine that the suggestion was made seriously," she said. "A poor jest, but a jest nonetheless."

"You think I'm fucking with you," Tora said, her laugh only playing at delight. "You think that little of me, Cassandra? I promise you, I'm entirely serious."

"Then please do elaborate," Cassandra said. Her cheeks were a little flushed, almost as though—could it be that the Herald flustered her? "I am sure the explanation will be _fascinating_."

"It's the smart choice because nobody would consider you suspect," Tora said, as though it was the most obvious thing. "Everyone knows you're no actor—no offense." A sidelong glance at Cassandra. One might think it quite flirtatious—

Oh.

Well then.

"The problem remains," Cassandra said, "that I am not, in fact, an actor. I have no taste for these games. Give me a sword, and I will serve you well."

"Exactly," Tora said. "You are, _in fact,_ a soldier. One who commands considerable respect."

Cassandra snorted. Tora merely raised an eyebrow.

"You can downplay all you like."

"And I do like," Cassandra said. "Do not give weight to these ludicrous rumours."

But she had begun to look a little less irritated.

"I mean that it really doesn't matter what _I_ think of your merits," Tora said. "What matters is that _they_ think a lot of them. We'll give you some legitimate business to take you to the barracks, don't worry about that. If you happen to be given an opening to tell the dragon story, and if that happens to loosen anyone's tongues—"

"Yes, yes, I understand," Cassandra said. Sighed. "I think I would have preferred it if you had been having fun at my expense."

Tora smiled, sharp-edged. "Is that agreement?"

"Certainly. I hardly see what the point would be in refusing," Cassandra said, and six months ago Josephine would have needed some consideration to come to the conclusion that there was wry humour hiding under that acerbic tone.

"Ah yes," Tora said. "You obey my every whim without question. I forgot."

"I shall endeavour," Cassandra said, "to insinuate myself to your Ladyship's satisfaction."

Leliana's open laugh.

Tora's smile softened.

"Sorry, Cassandra," she said. "I know you'd rather not, but the fact is people really are impressed by you, and with good reason. They'll talk to you. You're Inquisition, but you're at home in Orlais in a way most of us aren't. If I send Cullen, they'll be looking for the trap."

The lightest touch of Tora's hand to Cassandra's; insignificant, to the untrained eye. A friendly gesture, one might say, had the Inquisitor shown the faintest inclination to friendly physical gestures over the past year.

Cassandra seemed to feel it remarkable too, reddened interestingly and twitched as though considering jolting away.

"A private word, Inquisitor," she said. "If we are quite done here? I agree to your suggestion, of course, although I am sure I will live to regret it."

"Yes, yes, of course," Josephine said. "That will be all. We shan't keep you."

Cassandra nodded, turned on her heel. Tora touched her hand to her chest, gave a slight bow, and followed suit. How peculiarly ingrained those sorts of gestures could be, as though the Herald of Andraste remained a soldier among her superiors. There was something terribly charming about it. One might see it as a flaw, a sort of mockery or false modesty—but from Tora, in all the solid practicality she dressed herself in before strangers, Josephine was inclined to believe it worked rather to their advantage. 

The door slammed closed, stirring the papers scattered across the War Table. 

"They have slept together, you know," Leliana said. "Yesterday, I think."

"You might have warned me," Josephine said.

"Oh, my dear Josie," Leliana said, "they were only a little trouble. And I got to see your expression! Do allow me my small pleasures, if you must deny me my knives."

Josephine pressed fingers which she hoped were not altogether too inkstained to the bridge of her nose. "Do you imagine this will become a more serious problem? I mean to say—Cassandra is quite a romantic, you know, although she would kill me for suggesting any such thing."

"I have a suspicion our Lady Herald may surprise even you," Leliana said, and only smiled at Josephine's questioning look. "Don't worry so much."

"It is my job to worry," Josephine said. "But if you really believe—"

"I do," Leliana said. "Trust me, Josie. Give them a little time to make sense of things and I imagine they will do rather better than we did. And then they will terrorize everyone, and nobody will know when they are serious and when they are joking. I must say I look forward to it."

"I'm not entirely certain that _I_ do," Josephine said. But she didn't trouble to hide her smile.


End file.
